More Than Two-Thirds of Newly-Diagnosed Patients Who Are Prescribed
Medications for OCD Receive Inadequate Therapy

MOSS BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 16, 2008 - The majority of
newly diagnosed patients who are prescribed medications for
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) receive inadequate dose and/or
duration of drug treatment, according to a study conducted by
BioMedEcon, a leading provider of health economics and outcomes
research.

The study, which was supported by Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
was based on a nine-year retrospective claims analysis that
assessed the adequacy of medication treatment among
Medicaid-enrolled adults who were newly diagnosed with OCD, a
mental disorder that is characterized by recurrent, unwanted
thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions).
Findings were presented at the 161st annual meeting of the American
Psychiatric Association (APA) on May 3-7, in Washington, D.C.

The analysis was prompted by recently published APA clinical
practice guidelines for OCD that provide specific recommendations
for appropriate medication selection, dosing and treatment
duration. BioMedEcon applied these recommendations to assess the
adequacy of drug therapy among Medicaid-enrolled adults newly
diagnosed with OCD.

Among 2,960,421 adult Medicaid enrollees, 987 (0.03 percent)
were diagnosed with OCD during the nine-year period and received an
appropriate medication. Of these patients, the majority (67
percent) received either medication doses that fell below the
minimum guideline-recommended range, or treatment duration that was
shorter than the minimum guideline-recommended period.

"The burden of OCD is substantial," said Dr. Jeffrey Dunn,
Formulary and Contract Manager for Select Health and
co-investigator of the study. "We previously reported that the
health care costs for Medicaid enrollees with OCD were
significantly higher than health care costs for patients with
depression. We now wonder whether this is a function of quality of
care. We are currently investigating whether improved quality of
OCD care results in superior patient outcomes and reduced health
system burden. I believe that this will be the case."

Dr. Cheryl Hankin, principal investigator of the study and
President and Chief Scientific Officer of BioMedEcon agrees,
"Physicians who prescribe drug therapy for OCD must be
knowledgeable of guideline-recommended behavioral and drug
treatment options, as well as appropriate drug dosing and duration
regimens. Improved quality of care for OCD will likely result in
enhanced patient functioning and greater patient well-being."

Along with Hankin and Dunn, research co-investigators are John
Knispel, M.D., Medical Director from Humana, Arthur Levin, M.D.
from Health Plus, and Amy Bronstone, Ph.D. and Zhaohui Wang, M.S.,
from BioMedEcon.